UIC Students Dive into the Tropical Greenery of South Florida at Tree Amigos Growers
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Post by Marcela Moyano
UIC Students Dive into the Tropical Greenery of South Florida at Tree Amigos Growers
On Tuesday, August 14, 13 Associate degree students enrolled in the English Composition II class taught at United International College in Miramar, FL participated in a field trip to Tree Amigos Growers as part of their Observation Essay writing assignment.
The purpose of the assignment is to observe an environment in detail and to be aware of all sensorial capabilities to better understand a given reality. Santiago Arroyo, a co-owner of Tree Amigos Growers gave a tour of the farm to the students and talked to them about sustainability, organic farming, bee pollination, and permaculture. He showed students the diversity of food plants and trees in the farm, and even invited them to some plant tasting experiences.
At the end of the tour and conversation, students were able to purchase small plants to take home with them. For some of them, this was going to be their first experience growing plants. At the end of the field trip, Santiago gave students Holy Basil leaves to take home. Students are now reflecting on the observation experience and working on their essay. We look forward to their first drafts. United International College is grateful to the great contribution of Tree Amigos Growers to the youth and intellectual community of South Florida.
Tree Amigos Growers: A Sustainable Mission by Gianna Corrales
There are many wonderful and incredible places in South Florida that you could not imagine. That is the case of a special place I visited this week, a nursery called “Tree Amigos Growers”. What could be special about a nursery other than sowing seeds, watering them, watching them grow and selling them? This organic greenhouse, Tree Friends Growers, is a unique place where the sustainable philosophy of its owners shows not only their passion to grow organically for those who seek to eat healthy and fresh foods in their own gardens, but also cultivate a sense of community support through their agricultural business.
To begin with, the nursery is not on a main road, so I arrived after a few laps around the area. The first impression I had of the place was that it was quite rural, and I did not find it attractive or interesting. The entire group of students and our professor, Marcela Moyano, approached to meet with our host. The co-owner of Tree Amigos Growers, Santiago Arroyo, received us and that is how our tour began which would show me later that my first impression was wrong. Santiago’s introductory talk was enough to know that he is not only very knowledgeable, but also eager to share his gardening wisdom with everyone. His passion for what he does is obvious, and his dedication and willingness to help everyone puts his business in an unusual place of small businesses that truly add value to their community and the people around them.
After that, we started walking through the farm, our host explained to us how the soil of South Florida is favorable for growing a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. The dark color of the earth and the
white of the sand come together forming a soil full of nutrients (See Fig. 1). Meanwhile, I began to recognize my surroundings and get in tune with my senses as I observe. The mixture of aromas that only nature provides in this place were accentuated. At that moment some images of my childhood came to my mind. I remembered my exciting adventures with my cousins at my uncle’s farm. The farm was on a mountain surrounded by the coast about two hours from Caracas, in Venezuela, a climate quite similar to Florida. I felt the same sensations of simplicity, and at the same time joy while we spent hours immersed among different trees and exotic plants playing as explorers.
FIG. 1. Soil in South Florida. Santiago Arroyo Co-owner of Tree Amigos Growers. Davie, FL. August 2018.
The tour continued and all around, plants and trees looked healthy, green, and growing. Meantime, Santiago promoted the participation of everyone by asking the name or type of trees or plants that we observed, some of them very popular such as; turmeric, lychee, yucca, moringa, among many other species (See Fig. 2). I was delighted to see with my own eyes and even more here in Florida, the large number of regular veggie plants, medicinal herbs, and fruits that can be grown fresh and 100% organic consumption. We not only admire these leafy plants and trees, we also savor some of them. When chewing the reddish leaf of the cranberry hibiscus for example, it gives the typical flavor of hibiscus tea with a sweet taste at the end (See Fig. 3). We also tested an impressive leaf of a plant called “Spilanthes” which when chewing it, leaves a fresh feeling in your mouth as if you had just brushed your teeth. We ended the tour very encouraged to start our own garden at home. Some of us even bought plants, and Santiago graciously gave us branches of a type of basil to make tea at home.
FIG. 2. Right: Yuca Plant. Lychee Tree. Tree Amigos Growers. Davie, FL. August 2018.
Finally, this experience at Tree Amigos Growers enchanted me from beginning to end. It is admirable to see the effort with which these people contribute to conserve our planet, their desire to help others learn to cultivate native and tropical superfoods, as well as their commercial ethics. They exist with a sustainable mission as a small business in the South Florida community, where they work to improve the health and well-being of their residents. I really enjoyed the opportunity to get to know this extraordinary place and one of its owners, Santiago Arroyo. His appreciation of natural wonders led to the creation of a unique organic nursery in Florida.
FIG. 3. Cranberry Hibiscus Plant. Tree Amigos Growers. Davie, FL. August 2018
A Marvelous Experience by Haiskel Tovar
On Tuesday August 14th, of this year, we the UIC English Composition II students had the opportunity to enjoy an amazing field trip at the nursery Tree Amigos Growers. At the beginning, when our professor informed us about the field trip, I thought, well we are going to go to a nursery; I imagined we would see beautiful plants for the garden, some flowers and that would be everything. But I was wrong, because Tree Amigos Growing is much more than a simple sale of plants.
Tree Amigos Growers is located in David, specifically at 10900 SW 48th Street, FL 33328. Unexpectedly the field trip was a marvelous, enriching and enjoyable experience. We were welcomed by one of its owners, Santiago Arroyo, who showed us that he has great experience in the agricultural field. With a lot of dedication he explained to us the benefits of cultivating our own organic food including how to prepare the soil for our garden. He also taught us about perennial plants, annual plants, and how the permaculture concept is applied in their place, while he took us around the area and showed us all the vegetables, plants and trees that grow there.
When we arrived, after giving us a captivating welcoming, Santiago gave us an explanation about the importance of growing our own organic food, because we would definitely know that it would be authentically organic, it has no harmful chemical additives and it will not be genetically modified. Then, he explained how to prepare the soil before planting any plants. For example, he showed us one of the ways they use to remove weeds from the ground. This consists of covering the ground with a black plastic sheet, which provokes weeds to die and then they remove it. With this method, they do not need to use chemical pesticides.
Although, the first impression I had of the place is that it was small, and in reality I was wrong. They have a large green house where they have planted a variety of trees and plants. Santiago explained to us that they grow annual plants, which are plants that only grow one season and die, like tomatoes, sweet pepper, basil, and sweet potatoes. Also they grow perennial plants, that could grow back every season, for example turmeric, papaya, pineapple, moringa, coffee, sugar cane, and cranberry hibiscus plants, whose leaves have a very nice cherry flavor. Additionally, they have soursop, banana, Florida peach, mangoes trees, among other variety.
Equally important, is the growing system applied in Tree Amigos Growers, which is based on the Permaculture Philosophy. Santiago explained that this concept consists of creating a growing area that is similar to a natural environment where the ecosystem is respected, and the interconnection of the various elements that make it up is maintained. This involves planting several types of plants in the same area, which will interact and benefit each other. For example, he showed us a place where they planted sweet potato plants together with other plants, in this case the plants of sweet potato will contribute to nourish the soil, because they capture nitrogen from the environment and by their characteristics can transfer it to the soil and this would help the other plants that are around.
Finally, when the field trip ended, my classmates and I reached the same conclusion. We felt that we learned a lot. Santiago was able to transmit his knowledge to us. Undoubtedly, he encouraged us to start our garden of edible plants. Even if we have a little space, we can make the most of it and sow in pots. In conclusion, this field trip was a marvelous, enriching and enjoyable experience.
Travel and Tourism Students Visit Port Everglades
blog by Gianna Corrales
Travel and Tourism Students Visit Port Everglades
On Thursday, August 16, 2018, students enrolled in the Cruise Market course taught by Prof. Kiyomi Onoyama had the exclusive opportunity to visit the facilities of one of the most diverse seaports in the United States, Port Everglades. Thanks to the invitation of Ms. Maisy Alpert, the Director of Public Relations of Port Everglades, located in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, the students learned important aspects about the operations of South Florida’s powerhouse port, which is one of the three main cruise ports in the world, one of the most active container cargo ports in the United States, and the main seaport of South Florida for petroleum products.
In addition, Ms. Alpert explained in detail the economic impact of Port Everglades’ activities for both, Broward County and the State of Florida. Likewise, the students were able to see the infrastructure improvements planned for the upcoming cruise season as well as for the future. The students were amazed and interested in all the development plans of Port Everglades and its environmental actions that contribute to the conservation of fauna and flora of the region.
Undoubtedly, this was a very enriching experience for Travel and Tourism Management students of UIC since they did not only gain some knowledge in the field of travel and tourism, but also had the opportunity to learn and get involved in the management of the industry and the labor market.
Students From All Over The World Graduate From United International College Earning Business and Tourism Bachelor and Associate Degrees
Guest blog by the LinkedIn Careers Team
Students From All Over The World Graduate From United International College Earning Business and Tourism Bachelor and Associate Degrees
Miramar, FL- United International College celebrated its 16th Commencement Ceremony on June 22 at 7:00 p.m. at the Miramar Cultural Center Artspark with 3 students receiving Bachelor Degrees in Business Administration, International Business Management, and Travel and Tourism Management; and 11 students receiving Associate Degrees in the same programs. Moreover, students represented 8 nationalities such as Colombia, Venezuela, Vietnam, Peru, Argentina, Romania, El Salvador, and Bangladesh.
The ceremony started promptly at 7:00 p.m. with the academic procession of the Faculty, board of trustees, commencement speaker, Mr. Jaime Florez, UIC’s President, Lydia B. Bautista Möller, and graduating students.
Mrs. Bautista addressed the students and reminded them that their dreams are achieved one step at a time. She also mentioned that UIC encourages its students developing their entrepreneurial spirit, which not only impacts the life of the student/entrepreneur, but also directly impacts the local economy.
Ms. Phuong Tran, commencement speaker, recalled how thankful she was for having received support from her professors and students when she most needed it. She said: “don’t forget those who brought us here today.” And, she mentioned how the graduation night was a great day to remember and celebrate those difficult moments that became successful stories. She was also thankful to have received the chance of education as an international student from Vietnam through a scholarship from United International College
Also, Mr. Jaime Florez, a friend of the United family throughout generations, a distinguished journalist, and currently the Regional Political/Hispanic Communications Director of Governor Rick Scott’s campaign for the US Senate, addressed the students and motivated the graduating students to take advantage of all the opportunities available in Florida to start their business and become successful entrepreneurs.
The ceremony concluded with the anthem of United International College and the oath of the graduates. A reception followed the commencement ceremony in the Ansin Family Art Gallery. For further information, please contact Marcela Moyano at (954) 607-4344.
LinkedIn Jobs: It’s Not What You Know, It’s Who You Know
Guest blog by the LinkedIn Careers Team
How Well Do You Match Up with Your Dream Job?
How You Match is the checklist you see on the right of the job description in the above photo.
With its newly unveiled feature, “How You Match”, LinkedIn analyzes if you’re a good fit for a job position. Utilizing your education level, skills, years of experience, and current job title, you can see where you align, and where you may fall short. No matter the job function (e.g. finance jobs, consulting jobs, or information technology jobs), LinkedIn provides you with real-time results.
If you meet most of the requirements, go ahead and apply with LinkedIn’s 1-Click Apply button! If there are some big gaps, you can either make updates to your profile or find a better match.
If you are a UIC'S Student or Alumni, join LinkedIn now and become part of this great network
LinkedIn Jobs: It’s Not What You Know, It’s Who You Know
LinkedIn Jobs: It’s Not What You Know, It’s Who You Know
Guest blog by the LinkedIn Careers Team
Your soon-to-be awarded degree is likely a requirement for your dream job. But what is going to set you apart from everyone else who just graduated college with the same qualification? Your network!
Harness the power of your network, providing you an edge in your career search
Do I even have a network?
LinkedIn is helping soon-to-be grads from around the country tap into their professional community—whether they realize they have one already or not. LinkedIn has the power to uncover 1st and 2nd degree connections that will boost your chances of getting hired for highly sought-after jobs in a competitive market. We found that 70% of people were hired at a company where they had a connection.
One of the easiest ways for students to make connections is through the LinkedIn Alumni tool. It’s a simple way to explore and create alumni connections from your school. You can lean in on where they work now and in what cities. Simply search for your school and select “see alumni” to get started. You can access career paths for more than 23,000 colleges and universities worldwide.
Your First Job is a First Step!
Even if you land your dream job right out of college, the most successful professionals will warn you about complacency and how it may negatively affect your earning potential over time. Searching for jobs can seem like a daunting task, especially right after you've just landed one. It’s ideal to continue interviewing and keep an open mind for your next career move. LinkedIn has made it easier than ever to keep your options open even when you’re not actively seeking alternative employment. It’s called Open Candidates and it’s as easy as updating your LinkedIn career interest preferences. By flipping the switch, you privately signal to recruiters that you’re interested in new opportunities.
What Now?
Create or update your LinkedIn profile today. There is no other place where you can access such a wide range of knowledge, skills and resources to help you reach your goals!
If you are a UIC's Alumni, join LinkedIn now and become part of this great network
UIC Joyfully Celebrated our Students’ Success
UIC Joyfully Celebrated our Students’ Success
Miramar, FL- United International College celebrated its Annual Commencement Ceremony on June 23 at 7:00 p.m. at the Miramar Cultural Center Artspark with 5 students receiving Bachelor Degrees in Business Administration, International Business Management, Travel and Tourism Management and Communications and Mass Media; and 12 students receiving Associate Degrees in the same programs. Moreover, students represented 9 nationalities such as Colombia, Venezuela, Vietnam, Peru, Brazil, Argentina, Russia, Romania, and Nicaragua. City of Miramar Mayor Wayne M. Messam addressed the graduating class.
The ceremony started promptly at 7:00 p.m. with the academic procession of the Faculty, graduating students, board of trustees, Mayor Wayne M. Messam, and UIC’s President, Lydia B. Bautista Möller. Mrs. Bautista addressed the students and recognized the importance of diversity at UIC. She also mentioned the importance of becoming entrepreneurs since 89.6% of the US businesses are recognized as small businesses, and that is a great opportunity to contribute to the local economy.
City of Miramar Mayor Wayne M. Messam was the guest commencement speaker. He summarized his speech with the BOLD acronym, meaning Blessed, Obligation to give back, Leadership, and Dare to be the best. Mayor Messam voiced the message to students that each one of them can influence the path of this country through their work in their companies or organizations at a grassroots level.
Finally, David Carreño, Business Administration Associate Degree recipient was the student commencement speaker. He shared a powerful story of his personal experience taking the Self-Empowerment course with Prof. Bautista. He explained how his life visioning completely changed through the course and now he is a successful entrepreneur, owner of the ½ Price Mattress North Miami franchise. He also shared with his graduating class his positive life attitude as the key to a peaceful and successful life.
UIC granted merit awards to Manuel Romero, David Carreño, and Jose Marcano in recognition to their entrepreneurship success; Lydia Juravle received the Holistic Education award; and Laura Steudel was recognized for earning the best Academic Performance of the 2017 Class.
The ceremony concluded with the anthem of United International College. This is the first graduation ceremony where UIC grants Bachelor Degrees. For further information, please contact Marcela Moyano at (954) 607-4344.
Miramar Cultural Center: Behind the Scenes Tour
Miramar Cultural Center: Exclusive Behind the Scenes Tour
On Wednesday, April 19th, 2017 the students of the History of Art course got the spectacular opportunity to have an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the Miramar Cultural Center led by Ms. Kelly Armstead, the Arts and Education Administrator. The students were able to tour the entire arts center, which featured art exhibitions and galleries, art and dance studios, the center’s historical Broadway stage theatre, the Botanical Garden, and so much more, as well as meet some of the Center’s team leaders and program directors.
In addition, the students got the wonderful, and exclusive chance to have a meet and greet with our City’s Mayor Wayne Messam, who was very impressed, and appreciative with our students cultural backgrounds.
The students were able to have an up and close look and chance to learn about our art culture right here in our Miramar community.
Unemployed and Looking for New Horizons?
Unemployed and Looking for New Horizons?
The Unemployment rate of South Florida is 4.9% according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the United States.
Being unemployed can open opportunities for training in a new arena thanks to a federal program of Career Source Broward, which offers funding for education.
One of the requirements to receive Career Source Broward funds for education is that the students must qualify to receive Pell Grants, which are available according to the financial need of the student’s household.
Prospective students must be (1) US citizens or residents and (2) must have a high school diploma or a GED, which is equivalent to the high school diploma.
Also, Career Source Broward has a special program that funds the education of young students between the ages of 16 and 21 and who are currently unemployed.
The Financial Aid office of United International College guides the students interested in applying to receive these federal grants to fill out the FAFSA application.
United International College (UIC) was founded 15 years ago in Davie, FL by the same founders of Unilatina in Bogota, Colombia. UIC is the first university of Colombian origin that received accreditation in the United States. Recently, UIC signed an agreement with Career Source Broward to offer its associate programs in Business Administration and International Business Management for applications that are currently unemployed and looking for new career ventures.
These are the steps to follow to receive federal funds and enroll in an academic program:
- Contact your nearest office of Career Source Broward for a Success Coach to help you qualify for the training program. www.careersourcebroward.com
- Obtain an ID to complete the FAFSA application at www.fafsa.go
- Complete the FAFSA application to receive Pell Grants if qualified at www.fafsa.gov
If you are interested in studying any of the programs at UIC, please use the code 042332 in the FAFSA application. UNILATINA International College is a higher education institution that follows a Model of Holistic Education, which focuses on developing not only intellectual skills of students, but also emotional, physical, and intuitive skills. Hence, UIC graduates are successful at the professional level, but also in all the fields of the human being. For further information, please contact (954) 607-4344 or via e-mail at uicadmissions@uinternational.edu
Graduating Entrepreneurs
Graduating Entrepreneurs
Seven students graduated with an Associate Degree in Small Business Administration, two with a Degree in International Business Management, and three with a Degree in Travel and Tourism Management.
The commencement ceremony took place on December 11, 2015 at 7:00 p.m. at the United International College campus in Miramar, FL. Families and friends of the graduating class joined the ceremony.
The commencement speaker was Mr. Jeisson Rodriguez, a former student of United International College, who shared his journey to take the position where he is today as an advocate for democracy in Latin America. Rodriguez is currently a Ph.D. candidate of the Public Administration program at Florida International University. Rodriguez says: “A no for an answer is a given…keep knocking different doors and eventually one will give you a yes for an answer…don’t get used to this feeling of accomplishment, get addicted to it.”
The student speaker was Ms. Elmira Baibossynova. She is originally from Kazakhstan and completed an Associate Degree of Science in Business Administration. “People at UIC recognize your smallest achievement as an important step to move forward. I think that only amazing people can think that somebody is amazing,” said Baibossynova. She concluded her speech by telling her graduating peers, “When you succeed and become rich, famous and perhaps you take pictures with Bill Gates, post your pictures on your social media sites and don’t ever forget to use the hashtag #iLoveMyUIC.”
Mrs. Lydia Bautista Möller, the President of United International College closed her remarks to the graduates by saying “I wish you a successful personal and professional life, but more than anything, a life full of happiness.”
UIC graduated eleven students who represented seven nationalities including Colombia, Peru, Kazakhstan, Bangladesh, Mexico, Ukraine, and Venezuela. Graduates were proud of their multiculturalism. They now look forward to a successful career.
Get a Taste of the Graduation Celebration